Kenya: Consultancy on Gender and Youth Vulnerability in Kisumu and Homa Bay Counties, Kenya

May 31, 2019 | Practical Action
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Practical Action is a global innovator, inspiring people to discover and adopt ingenious, practical ways to free themselves from poverty and disadvantage. As an international development agency with more than 50 years’ experience in the development and scaling of a range of technologies appropriate to the needs of the poor, Practical Action improves the lives of around one million people every year through access to energy, sustainable agriculture, water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management, and disaster risk reduction.

1.1 Background of the consultancy assignment

Practical Action has commenced a five-year project in East Africa, working initially in Kenya with possible scale-up in other countries in the region. The objective of the project is to establish vibrant and inclusive rural economies in East Africa by promoting agricultural livelihoods for the youth underpinned by agro-ecological principles and practices. The project aims to break the cycles of low productivity and increasing rural poverty, through a holistic and gendered approach which will enable young men and women to increase their income through agri-business.

Specifically, the project will seek to deliver systemic change, understand the impact of this approach on rural economies and the shifts in youth livelihoods based on agro-ecology. The project believes that the options opened up by agro-ecological principles will prove attractive to youth, empower them and address the challenges they face including gender inequalities in accessing resources needed to sustain successful livelihoods. By investing in agro-ecological practices, we will target the root causes of unsustainable agricultural systems and declining youth interest in agribusiness. Using

 principles of efficiency, diversity, resilience and knowledge sharing, the project will develop youth focused solutions; lower input costs (a major deterrence for youth in agriculture) and increase on- farm production options (by building their skills and creating more incentives to establish viable agri- business livelihoods.

The objectives and results of the project are summarized below:

Overall Objective: To achieve a vibrant & inclusive rural economy for young women and men that doesn’t degrade the environment.

Specific objectives:

• To increase income of young men and women at individual and HH level
• To increase the number of young men and women engaged in environmentally sustainable agribusinesses.

To this end, the project has identified three results in different target areas and these are:

• Result 1: At least 600 youth in 2 counties in Kenya (Kisumu and Homabay) engaged in Agri- business (off farm/on farm) as a viable livelihood option.
• Result 2: Increased farm productivity from agro-ecological practices amongst the youth.
• Result 3: A strengthened policy environment for youth in agribusiness. 1.2 Rationale for gender and Vulnerability Assessment

Practical Action recognizes that gender relations and inequalities faced by young people are fundamental causes of poverty and that women and girls especially may not enjoy the same status, power or access to and control over resources as men and boys. It is critical to develop an in-depth understanding of the incidence, types, and levels of vulnerability in the proposed intervention area as well as the causal factors that contribute to this to ensure that the project is designed and implemented to address the underlying causes of inequality and address the socio-cultural barrier to advancing the role of young men and women in rural economies.

The findings from the assessment will inform further design, implementation and monitoring of the project’s interventions as well as changes in the lives of the individuals benefitting from the proposed interventions.

2. Objectives of the consultancy

The overall objective of the consultancy is to identify and define specific vulnerabilities of the identified group , to assess the gendered practices, identify opportunities and constraints that can affect agribusiness as a viable livelihood option for young men and women and its potential to transform rural economies.

Specific objectives:

• To understand different levels of vulnerability (Segregated by gender and cohort) of young men and women within the target population (i.e. highly vulnerable, moderately vulnerable and Least vulnerable categories).
• To assess the assets, skills, capabilities and networks that young people possess and/or need to develop that can be leveraged to support both young men & women to successfully join and profit from agribusiness as a viable livelihood option
• To provide evidence on barriers and opportunities for young men and women to engage in agribusiness both on-farm and off farm as a potential livelihood option
• To explore social cultural perceptions, norms and practices that inhibit or facilitate young men and women in engaging in agribusiness.
• To assess differential access for men and women to agriculture information including extension services, whether it is meeting their needs, the gaps that exist and what should be done to improve translation of information to action.
• To explore gender and power dynamics at the household level and how it affects access to, control over and decision making on agriculture productive resources and time poverty for women in Agriculture
• Provide concrete recommendations based on findings to inform project implementation, baseline and MEL framework.

Key deliverables

At the onset, an inception Report will be required capturing following: 

• Outcome of the initial desk review;
• Revised assessment matrix
• Revised methodology and work plan for the assessment
• Assessment report template ü Limitations of the assessment
• ·Presentation of findings to stakeholders for validation (to be organized by TREYL team) Present to Practical Action staff for input and followed up with external stakeholder workshop.

High quality and concise final report in agreed template and format, submitted and accepted by Practical Action upon incorporation of stakeholder’s feedback.

Methodology

The consultant is expected to propose a methodology that will best capture the highlighted objectives. However, at minimum Practical Action expects a mix of both quantitative and qualitative methods that are well placed to capture gender and vulnerabilities of our target group both at household and individual levels.

This includes, four critical elements of a vulnerability assessment:

• Review of secondary data;
• Collection of primary data;
• Assessing knowledge, attitude and practice (a separate but intertwined KAP study)
• Identifying and assessing wider factors influencing vulnerability – quality, accessibility and coverage of services in agri-business .

Moreover, the consultant should demonstrate in his response how he/she will involve young men and women in the process.

Timeline

This consultancy will take place at the beginning of June 2019 with the final approved report submitted by no later than 21 days (30th June 2019). Final work plan duration shall be agreed with the winner supplier before signing of the agreement.

Dissemination of findings

Results and recommendations will be made available to interested stakeholders at the discretion of PA. The final report and any primary data collected will be the property of PA. At the key findings stage, PA may request that the consultant produce such a report along with the final assessment report.

Ethical considerations

The assessment team will make clear to all participating stakeholders that they are under no obligation to participate in the assessment study. All participants will be assured that there will be no negative consequences if they choose not to participate. The assessment team will obtain informed consent from the participants. The assessment team will ensure prior permission is received for taking and use of visual, still/ moving images for specific purposes, i.e., ‘for assessment report and presentations’. The assessment team will assure the participants’ anonymity and confidentiality and will ensure the visual data is protected and used for agreed purposes only. The assessment team will employ robust data security measures to further ensure participants’ confidentiality and anonymity. The assessment team is responsible for determining whether their proposed methodology would require PA internal review and clearance and will be responsible for clearing the process and training if such approval is required.

All the outputs / products e.g. reports, documents, information produced under this assignment will be treated as property of PA and consequently confidential. So, the above-mentioned outputs or any part of it can’t be sold, used or reproduced in any manner by the assigned organization / individual without prior permission from PA.

Consultant profile /eligibility criteria/

For the purposes of this assessment, the Consultant should have a gender and social inclusion background and extensive experience and knowledge in gender dimensions in development in Kenya, including youth and women initiatives. 

Among the desirable qualifications for lead consultant are:

• Individuals or firms in academia, social research, or humanitarian assessment with a background in research methods, development economics, life sciences, agricultural economics, youth livelihoods, development studies, or other related fields.
• Extensive experience of conducting gender and youth vulnerability assessments along OECD- DAC assessment criteria, ideally leading an assessment team and experience of designing assessment methodology / tools, data analysis etc.
• Master's in social sciences (gender, sociology, sustainable development)
• More than 10 years of experience in sustainable development
• Experience and knowledge of gender dimensions affecting the youth, including gender and youth policies in Kenya.
• Experience in developing gender action plans or program of activities.
• Experience in conducting gender analysis and field research in the Kenya.
• Experience using Value-for-Money tools and methodologies.
• In-depth knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Competent in using statistical packages for quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Excellent presentation and writing skills.
• Excellent analytical (qualitative and quantitative) and writing in English and as well as knowledge of local language would be an added advantage.
• Experience directly working with young people in research
• Good understanding and proven track record in safeguarding / do not harm principle
• Experience working in the lake Basin, highly recommended

Guidelines for submission of expression of interest

Consultants who meet the above requirements and are available within the time limit indicated above should submit the following:

• Proposal highlighting their understanding of the assignment and proposed methodology
• Capability statement with 2 reports highlighting similar work in the past 5 years
• Detailed financial proposal in Kenyan Shillings.
• Annexed to the proposal should be a CV of the lead consultant for the assignment

The completed bid shall be submitted through email to recruitment@practicalaction.or.ke before or latest by 5 PM, 3rd June, 2019. With the subject line reading gender and vulnerability Assessment – TREYL project.